Sivaji Ganesan, Ramasamy Padayachi birth anniversaries to be government functions

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced that the birth anniversaries of versatile actor ‘Sivaji’ Ganesan and backward classes icon SS Ramasamy Padaiyachiar would be celebrated as government events to honour them.

Chennai:

Hailing Ramasamy as a leader who fought for social justice, the Chief Minister said in the Assembly that his birth anniversary on September 16 would be officially celebrated.

Ramasamy (1918-1992), was a founder leader of the Tamil Nadu Toilers’ Party who championed the cause of Vanniyars, a Most Backward Community. In later years, he was with the Congress party as well. He was Local Administration Minister during 1954-57, and was elected twice to the Lok Sabha (1980-84 and 1984-89). He had been a member of both the state Assembly and now defunct Legislative Council.

On Sivaji Ganesan, Palaniswami said that the yesteryear thespian, hailed as ‘Nadigar Thilagam’ (Actor par excellence) is a darling of the people who had bagged a slew of awards, honours and recognition for his acting skills. “To honour his service to the entertainment industry, his birth anniversary on October 1 will be officially celebrated.” The yesteryear matinee idol’s son Prabhu, also an actor, welcomed the move and thanked the government. Sivaji Ganesan (1928-2001), was among the greatest of actors Tamil cinema had ever seen.

He had acted in over 300 films and began his acting career in dramas when he was only about eight years old. ‘Parasakthi’ (1952), his debut movie (dialogues for which were written by DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi) catapulted him to star status overnight. He went on to dominate the big screen for more than three decades. Born Villupuram Chinniah Ganesan (VC Ganesan), he came to be known as Sivaji Ganesan after rationalist leader Periyar Ramasamy famously called him ‘Sivaji,’ in 1946 to laud the actor’s scintillating performance as Maratha warrior king Chatrapathi Shivaji in a stage play.